Design
Something Intersecting in SolidWorks 2013: Join Your Parts to Find Volumes
This is yet another trick to find the volume of a fluid, air, etc in SolidWorks; I seem to get asked this often, so I’d like to share all the different tips and tricks you can use to make your
... ContinuedPart Two: Stirring up the Maker Movement with the MakerBot® Replicator™ 2 Desktop 3D Printer
As we discussed in Part One of the series, the Maker movement is harnessing ideas and technology to spur innovation. MakerBot’s Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer is bridging the gap between engineers, researchers, designers and creative professionals to create amazing,
... ContinuedNew on Born to Design: Auswall uses SolidWorks to develop mountain bikes—for skiing
The German engineers at Auswall combine industrial design, engineering, and ergonomics to create thrilling products. These specialties all matter when designing equipment, including a downhill mountain bike that folds into a backpack and can be used on skis or wheels.
... ContinuedPart One: 3D Printers and the Emergence of the Maker Movement
WIRED’s editor-in-chief Chris Anderson recently published a book suggesting that the Maker movement will likely transform the U.S. economy. Anderson believes that as the Maker movement gains momentum, the American spirit of tinkering and building will be re-tooled and made
... ContinuedHow the Equipois zeroG mechanical arm “lifts” workplace stress and fatigue
Manufacturers such as Honda, General Electric and Boeing use heavy power tools and equipment for their design and engineering needs. However, lifting these loads can cause worker fatigue and injury while decreasing productivity. To alleviate worker payload-associated stress and reduce
... ContinuedThere’s got to be a better way of creating owner’s manuals
There got to be a better way of owner’s manual! Here we are: Universal Cycles, a mountain bike producer in U.K. They print a QR code on their bike body leading to a Youtube assembly instruction video created in 3DVIA Composer by repurposing their CAD models for technical communication.
... ContinuedHow do I buy SolidWorks or get a trial version?
Here at SolidWorks, we work hard to make our products easy to buy, learn and use; however, two of the most common questions we receive are: How do I buy SolidWorks? How do I get a trial version of SolidWorks?
... ContinuedTo Infinity and Beyond: How SE Corp. Helped NASA using SolidWorks
Similar to Felix Baumgarnter’s contribution to the future of space travel, SE Corp., an analysis consulting firm, has enabled the use of the Kennedy Space Station for at least another 50 years. Using SolidWorks Flow Simulation, SE Corp. analyzed the
... ContinuedSolidWorks’ Users Ignite the 2012 MassChallenge Competition
The world is full of great ideas and MassChallenge is helping novice entrepreneurs make their ideas a reality. MassChallenge’s global accelerator program and startup competition is designed to give entrepreneurs the momentum needed to launch and succeed. Each year, through
... ContinuedCustomizing SolidWorks Flyout Toolbars
The other day while watching a video on some of the new SolidWorks 2013 features, I noticed that one of the Flyout Toolbars for Annotations had a command for Cosmetic Threads that I did not have in my Flyouts, so
... ContinuedNew on Born to Design: Franck Muller designs the world’s most complex watches with SolidWorks
Swiss-based luxury watchmaking company, Franck Muller, is known for making complex watches with hundreds, sometimes thousands of tiny moving parts. In an industry steeped in tradition and precision, see how SolidWorks® software is enabling their engineers to bring new innovations
... ContinuedThe Stratos Project: One Giant Freefall for Mankind
Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…it’s Felix Baumgartner breaking the skydiving world record from the edge of space. Today in Roswell, NM, the Red Bull Stratos project brought Baumgartner 128,120 ft above the earth
... ContinuedFender Musical Instruments Corporation Rocks at Guitar Production
Music legends such as Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, and Kurt Cobain all have one thing in common aside from greatness: the Fender electric guitar. Offering a wide array 0f electric guitars such as the Stratocaster and
... ContinuedIntersect – The Trimming Shears of the FeatureTree
Like some advanced part and surfacing features, I’ve struggled to know when to use them. Recognizing when and how to use a feature can sometimes turn your part from a tangled FeatureTree mess to a nice efficient tree. I knew
... ContinuedChange Your Tree: See the Mates First!
Sometimes when working with an assembly, I am more interested in seeing the component mates than the component features. While I know I can expand a component in the FeatureManager tree and then expand the mates folder beneath it, I
... Continued